Feathering mechanism for paddle-type stream motors and propellers



Aug. 21, M23.

J. F. BARRETT ET Al.

EEATHERING MECHANISM FOR PADDLE TYPE STREAM MOTORS AND PROPELLEHS Filed Sent. 50, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2/57.]

Aug. 21, 1923. 65593 J- BARRETT ET AL FEATHERING MECHANISM FOR PADDLE TYPE STREAM MbTORS AND PROPELLERS Filed Sept. 50, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patentedr'fiug. 21, 5.923. 1

hurrah S AT My JOHN TITZALLAN' BARR TT, for inwron'r, JOHN? unites-T BARRETT, OF KA OO B A,

AND FRANK ALFRED WYATR'OF NEW rnATnEn-INeMEcHANisM For. PADDLE-TYPE srienenrMoronsAnD rBorELL'Ens.

Application filed September To all whom it may, concern.

- Be it known that we, JOHN FITZALLAN BARRETT, JOHN ERNEST BARRETT, andFRAi-TK ALFRED WYATT, subjects of the King of Great 5 Britain and Ireland, residing at Newport,

llatoombzn; and Newport, \in the State? of New southl vales, Commonwealth oizAustralia, respectively, have nvented certaln new and-useful Improvements in Feathering 0 Mechanism for PaddleTypeStream Motors 1 and-Propellers, of which the following is aspecification. p .7

This invention. relates to featherlng inechanism for wind motors and I other stream.

motors and propellers'having flat or sub stantially fiat vanes pivotally mounted for feathering in the peripheral portion of a lantern cage frame which is fixed on adriven spindleor on a driving shaft. Inthis type 2 of machine feathering-action is effected by: applying. progressive rotational movement to the vanes by means of cranks on a gang ring which rotates-1n thesame (IllIBClllOIlflIld.

at the same rate as the carrier, around athe carrier 'bearing in excentric relation to spindle or shaft. p

The present invention consistsin improve ments in the feathering mechanism, and comprises an enclosed gear train of the epicyclic type having the sun wheel thereof driven by the main spindle and geared through, planet wheels to an internally toothed .ring' wheel forming partofa hub which is rotatable about said spindle and carr es an exvane cranks. The planet wheels are rotatably carried on spindles supported on aflanged sleeve which is mounted for rotation around the cage spindle bearing; The angular relationof the vanes in'respect of any certain direction of stream movement is.

centric disc through which the gang ring is moved relativelv to'the cage to turnthe te se through an angle Within 90 thus to procure through the consequent change in the ex centric setting av corresponding alteration inthe-angles of incidence of the. stream-on" [the severalvanes, so as therebynto procure regulation'ofzthespeed of the machine; =An I Zarm extending flaterally irom ithe flanged}- jsleeve carries a balanced 'ru'dderpand; a; cen-' gtrifugal governor "whichiunctions to control- .the-angular'set of the rudder, and carries also, a stream operated rudder lock which functions to en'gagethe governor linlragelat .its extreme throw and hold therudderilockedtory of theapplicationof'the inventiolrin; I

It isto be understood that a-wind motor. the features in which the invention resices at full offset position until the stream; 7 velocity falls toa safeqlimit, and then'tol are applicablefor waterstreammotors and for paddle type propellers operating. in v liquidsor gases, the .p'ropellerbeing, however, always of the cage type with. an, unequal number of lateral blades rotatably mounted in its peripheral portion onaxis parallel with the cage :aXis. Fig. 1 is atop plan;

'i Fig; dis a, fragmentary sectionalsideelevation explanatory of the balanced rudder, the rudder loclniand the rudder governor tal section on the'line 45e*Fig.. 3;

rudder loclr device on :theline 5- 5 Fig.1; I

with Fig. 5; and

Fig. 'Tfis a fragmentaryperspective view not oneof the vanes. 2

[10. is. the upper par-tofu a, platform or tower framework..upon-which is fixedfia bearinghead' 11. Sleeved aroundthis hear- .ing head is the tubular Portien circular flange 13, which forms the bottom portion ofa casing enclosing anepicyclio gear train, The main spindle 14 passes cen- Fig. 2 is a verticalsectionalelevation; .1

Fig. 5 is a detaii'sectional elevation of the Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizon Fig... 6 is a sectionalflplan corresponding;

trallyxthrotigh the bearin head 11. The

lower end OI"- this spindle is connected to a pump or other mechanism for applying {rotation thereto; upon the upper endof it the V lantern cage is fixed. This cage consists of five he m m s-w e d 2. reexam e re:

dial arms 17 and 18, which carry the peripheral rings 19 and 20, these rings being concentrically located injrespect' to thespindle 14. A stiffening bracing, preferably of wire (not shown) mav be provided to ensure the rigidity of the cage structure, the bracing wires and frame structure being de-' signed to ofi'er minimum resistance to movement through the medium in which the device is operating. The peripheral rings 19 and 20 are fitted with bearings 21 and 22, symmetrically arranged, to carry the pivots 23 and 24 of the vanes25, an unequal nuinber of these vanes being disposed around the circle. In practice either three or five vanes 1 are used, their widths being proportioned inrelation to the diameter'of the. cage so that. l the following blades do not blanket the flow to advance blades in the orderof rotation. The lower pivots24 ofthe blades 25 carry crank arms. In the preferred arrangement shown in the drawings, a two throw cranl is used, and the lower ring 20 carries brackets 27 having bearings 28 formed in their lower ends in ali nment with the bearin s Q a '22; these bearings carry the bottom' endcentres 29 of the two-throw cranks 80-31. The two groups of cranks 30-31 work respectively in bearings 32 and 33 in the two gang rings 34 and 35. The gang rings are respectively supported by radial arms 36 and 37 springingfromexcentric straps 38 and 39; these straps respectively work on discs 40 and 41 on a hub casting 43, said discs being excentrically disposed about the cage axis and diametrically opposite so that the centrifugal effects due to their gyration are balanced. The hub casting 43 is ro-tatably mounted on the main spindle 14. The lower portion 44 of the hub casting 43 is armed with a ring of internal teeth 45. A pair of pinions'46 diametrically disposed, mesh with the teeth 45, and also mesh with the intermediate pinions 47. As shown in the drawings, a. ring of ball bearings is fitted between the excentric straps 38. and 39 and the eccentric discs 40 and 41, but "these eccentrics may have surface bearings instead of ball bearings. Similarly, the ball bearings otherwise'shown throughout the structure may be eliminated and surface bearmgs or'roller bearings substituted therefor.

The pinions 46 and 47 are rotatably mounted on pivots carried on'the circular flange 13. The pinions 46 and 47 are planet pinions in relation to the toothed sun wheel 49; this wheel 49 is keyed on the main spindie 14, and gears with the pinions 47 only. The epicyclic transmission from the main spindle 14 tothe hub 43 is from the sun wheel 49 through the pinions 47 and 46 successively to the internal gear 45, the directions of rotation being shown in each case by arrows (Fig. 4). It is essential that the gearing be arranged to cause rotationof' the position (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) at an angle of nearly90 to the arm 66. 90

hub 43 in the same direction as the spindle 14. One of the pinions 47 is: keyed to its spindle 50, and said spindle is mounted in a bearing and carries a bevel pinion 51 on its bottom end below the flange, this pinlou 51 gears with a bevel wheel 52 on theend' der 55 is carried on a pintle 56 disposed intermediate the length of the rudder 55 to procure a balance effect topermit the rudder to be read ly swungangularly in relation to the supporting arm 66 by means-of the governor gear. The governor 57 is of the ordinary fly ball type, mechanically ari ranged to retract'the collar 58 when the balls are forced outward by centrifugal action consequent on rotation of the governor at a' speed in excess of the designed normal rate.- The inward movement of the collar 58 is applied through the collar bracket 59 the slide rod 60 and the link 61 to the 'tiller 62 on the rudder pintle 56,;so as to swing therudder 55 off alignment with the arm 66. Under gale conditions the "governor will bring the rudderto'an extreme offset is a. stay wire with strainer, assisting to support" the-outboard welght of the rudder fitting. 91 isa counterweight to balance f theweight of the rudder fitting.

As the vanesare balanced on their pivotal mountings they may be easily ad usted for position in the cage-,irrespectively of the velocity of the stream. The sleeve 12 may, therefore, be readily swung about thebearing head ll'by arelatively small effortap plied to the arm 66' by the rudder or in the case of a propeller by any mechanical control attachment." When the angular set of the rudder is altered by the action of the governor, the arm 66 swings and rotates'the hub 43 about the spindle axis through a corresponding angle, and the set of the vanes in the cage is consequently changed, with the result that the strea action on the vanes is diminished and-therate of rotation of the cage and the spindle is therefore regulated within a large range at an approximation to uniformity. When the, rudder is swung on its pintl'e it will set in the direction o-f'the stream and when in the extreme right-angle position shown indotted lines in Fig. I, the stream will act with equaleffect on the vanes at either side of the cage, and consequently no rotational effort will be applied-tethe cage. which the motor will remain idle irrespective of the velocity of the stream in which it lS'lH'HHGISGClQ and the ad'ustnien t of the overnor should be such that the rudder will be brought by to this full-offset position un- This is the full offset position, in c der gale conditions. When the rudder has been brought to the full ofiset, ortoa position near thereto, as willhappen only in gale conditions, it is desirable that the rudder be locked in such position until the velocity of the stream moderates, and then that it should be automatically unlocked and restored to the control of the governor; this the rod slides, carriesthe fulcrum pin 78 of a cam 74. This cam is designed to lock the rod 60 againstoutward movement by fjambing said rodtightly between the cam face and the back. oi" the "aw 71. The lever arm 75 of he-cam has :pivotally attached to its-outer end a push-and-pull' rod 7 6;this rodpasses through a hole 77 "(ovaled for clearance) in the vane and it carriestwo stops, one 78 on the end of it and the'other 79 adjustable for position intermediate the vane and the lever arm 75. Under gale conditions the vane 70 is tipped upwardly to the position, shown in dotted lines Fig. 5, so that it bears against the stop 79, thereby forcing up the vlever arm and engaging the cam face 74 against the rod 60. inward pull'ot the rod 60 is possible under these conditions if considerable force be applied to it by the governor, but it is locked vabsolutely against outward movement so; long as the vane 7O'exerc1ses pressure against the lever 75, to keep the cam looked, through the p'ush-and-pull rod 7 6. The vane 70 being of metal having considerable weight will drop toward the vertical as soon as'the stream pressure against it diminishes, ant when it so drops the lever arm 7 5 will no longer hold, but the cam 74: will remainyin locked position holding the rod 60 against outward movement, and thereby maintain.-

ing the rudder in the full offset posit on until the vane strikes the outer stop 78 and thereby through the rod 76 pulls oil the lever 75 and releases the cam lock. The rudder will then under the contracting pressure of the governor spring force over the tiller 62 and bring the rudder to a working position in alignment with the arm 66, or, if the stream velocity be still high, to some position intermediate between the alignment position just referred to and. the fully offset position shown at the dotted lines at 63. A coil spring 80 may be sleeved on the rod 76 between the stop 7 9 and the vane 70 to ensure the maintenance of pressure against the cam lever 75 Within a certain rangeof movement of the han in vane 70 so as,

C: Ci

thereby to maintain the cam in locked position until the stream, velocity has fallen to a point at which it. permits the vane 70 to fall to the designed liberating angle.

' (63) in that figureflln the extreme dotted line. position the blade CllSPOSltlOIllIliI'GlZL- 1 For simplicity, the'vanes' 25 hhave been 1 shown, in- Figs. 1 and 2, as flatxplates .111

practice they are constructed of corrugated" sheets of metal- 81 fixed between :a pair of frame bars 82, which bars, at their ends,.areriveted through the stubs oflthe vane spindles, the lower spindle 24: only bein shown in the fragmentary view F ig. ;7. "lhe bars 8:? must be of sufficientsec'tion to assure'the necessary longitudinal rigidity in the vanes,

lateral stiffness in the vanes is taken care of by the corrugated section. V

. The operation is as'fol-lows: :1 a

The rudder 55 being: set outin alignment with the rudder arm 66 andthe'apparatus setin astream of water, air, or. other. fluid,

the structureladjusts itself with therubber 5 5 t in alignmentiwith the. directionio'fj the V V stream,. and if the stream velocity be with in the normal rate the. vanes'25i are thenlrespectively positioned as shown in Figs, 1

. and"2. Upon 'regarding the respective anguj lar positions of the vanes, it will be observed that the stream acts against them with maximum .efiect to procure the rotation; of the cage, the'oflside vanes on the right. hand of" Fig. 1 coming up into" the stream edge on and ofi'ering negligible retardation. As the jcage rotates, the vanes, are" successively broughttothe 'worklng position at which pointof movement the pivotal adjustmentis eflected through.theamedium 'ofthe epicyclic gearing "and the crank and eXcen-trics. When the stream velocity exceeds the rate at whichthe motor is adjusted to "work, the governor 57 functionsto set offthe rudder at an angleintermediate the full stroke position shown in 'fulllines'in Fig; l, and the full ofi'set' position "shown in dotted lines tion 'tothe direction of the stream will'be the disposition-of blades seen when Viewed from I the right hand side'of Figl, that is. from the redirection of the rudder in the dotted zpobrought to a standstill or approximately to a standstill under. gale conditions, the

governor willslow up and would operate, unless locked, to bring the motor into the wind again. Temporary'lo'cking is auto matically effected by means of the governor lock device. When the rudder is in the offset or nearly oflset position, the hanging vane 70 will be swung upwardly by the stream pressure acting against it, .and'when it is swung to a sufliciently high angle it acts through the spring 80and the push rod 76 to engage the lock cam 74 with the rod 60. So long as the bite of the cam 7491s 0 V not released, the rod 60 cannot move outward to swing the rudder back to the opmember car hub, oppositely crating position, but when the steam pressure drops sufficiently to allow the hanging vane 70 to fallto a-low position the disengagementof the cam Tet v1s efiected, and

thereafter the centrifugal governor reas sumes control.

What we claim as our-invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l.- Fcathering mechanism for vanes of stream motors comprising a motor spindle, a'train of epicyclic gearing keyed to said spindle, a hollow hub surrounding said gearing, an internal ring of teeth on said hub, a lantern mounted on said: motor spin-- dle, vanes pivotally mounted in said cage, a

mg the spindles of theepicyclic gearing, and rotatable relatively to said disposed eccentric discs on said hub, eccentric straps on said discs, and

rings carried by said straps.

E eathering mechanism for vanes of treaniinotors comprising a motor spindle, a rain of epicyclic gearing keyed to said spindle, a hollow hub with internal teeth coacting with members of said gearing train, a lantern cage, ranes mounted on said cage, pivots for each of said vanes, member carryingthe spindles of the epicyclic gearing.

and rotatable relatively to said hub, two 0ppositely disposed eccentric discs on said hub, eccentric straps on saiddiscs, two gang rings carried by said straps and double throw cranks connected to said gang rings and said *ane pivots.

Feat-hering mechanism for vanes o1" stream motors comprising a motor spindle,

an epicyclic gearmgtrainlreyed to said spindle, a hollow hub with internal teeth coacting with said train, a lantern cage, vanes pivotally mounted on said cage, a member carrying the epic-yclic gearing spindles and rotatable relatively to said hub, oppositely disposed eccentric discs on said hub, eccentrio strapson'said discs, gang rings carried by said straps, double throw cranks con nected to said gang rings and to vthe pivots or the vanes, an arm oil-set from said spindle carrying member, and a balanced rudder on' said ar d. Feathering mechanism for vanes of stream motors comprising a motor spindle, an epicyclic gcaringtrain keyed to said spin dle, a hollow hue with internal teeth coacting with said train, a lantern cage, vanes pivotally mounted on said cage, amember carrying the epicyclic gearing spindles and rotatable relatively to said hub, oppositely disposed eccentric discs on said hub, eccentrio straps on said discs, gang rings carried by said straps, double throw cranks con; nected to said gang rings and to the pivots of the vanes, an arm offset from said spindle carrying m mber, abalanced rudder on said arm, a spindle, a member of the spicy clic gearing keyed to said spindle, a bevel pinion on saidspindle, a shaft dr ven by;

said bevel pinion a centrifu al overnorv L 7 O b rotated by said shaft, and a connection between said governor and said rudder..

5. Feathering mechanism for vanes of.

ble throw cranks attached to said gang rmgs,

an arm oil-set from the spindle carrying member, a rudder on sa-idrarm, a tiller on said rudder, a rod controlling said tiller, a

governor controlled by saidepicyclic gear,

ing, a connection between said governor and said rudder, pendent vane mounted on said oft-set arm, and a cam operated by said pendent vane and adapted to lock said tiller controlling arm.

In testimony whereof we al'lix our signatures.

JOHN rITZALLAN eiinnnrr JGHN nnnnsr BARRETT.

FRANK ALFRED WYATT. 

